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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-17 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

March 4 Justice

Ms HILDYARD (Reynell) (15:27): Like any of us on this side of the house and the thousands of South Australian women who have spent years of their lives fighting to improve women's lives, Monday's March 4 Justice made me feel just a little more hopeful about a more equal future. The march was characterised by our firm declaration that enough is enough, by solidarity and by steadfast determination to make change.

It was a march attended by women of all ages and from a diverse range of backgrounds. Together, we were united and connected with women marching across the country, refusing to accept what so many of us have had to put up with for most of our lives. Yesterday, in our parliament, following horrendous accounts of sexual and discriminatory harassment outlined in the equal opportunity commissioner's review of harassment in this parliamentary workplace and following the voices of brave women speaking out across the country, we resolved to set up a committee to progress the review's recommendations and to develop a code of conduct.

These motions followed a refusal to prioritise the inquiry being moved when I called for it. It followed obfuscation by the Premier about whether or not he would support a code of conduct, and these motions were followed today by an appalling ongoing delay on debating increases to penalties for breaching domestic violence intervention orders. We will keep marching—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms HILDYARD: —we will keep calling out that which harms women—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Reynell will resume her seat. The member for Elder is called to order and warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members on my left! I am listening carefully to the member for Reynell. The member for Reynell has the call and is entitled to be heard in silence, I remind members on my right.

Ms HILDYARD: If we are to collectively achieve gender equality, if we are to cease harming women, this government, this Premier, is going to have to do a whole lot more and a whole lot better than he and his government have done to date. So far they have shown that they just do not get it. This government has utterly failed women and it continues to do so.

Women have been incredibly negatively impacted during the pandemic. This government has failed to understand that women are more likely to work in insecure work and in the industries most impacted and, therefore, most likely to have had interruptions to their earnings and less likely to have accessed JobSeeker.

With a disturbing rise in domestic violence during the pandemic, this government has failed to respond. Our state is hopelessly under-resourced when it comes to intervention services for women experiencing domestic violence. There is a complete lack of ongoing funding for domestic violence prevention hubs. Our motions to inquire into modern slavery and insecure work are stalled. During this term of government, those opposite voted against a bill to include the experience of domestic violence in the Equal Opportunity Act and simply refused for two years straight to ban the appalling disrespectful slogans on Wicked Campers until they were embarrassed into taking action.

The 2018-19 state budget saw cuts to the Legal Services Commission, denying women access to valuable legal advice. In this government's first two budgets nearly $20 million was cut to programs that provide services to women addressing safety, violence, advocacy and access to legal assistance: $800,000 from the concierge service that managed taxi ranks to ensure that women had a safe place to catch a taxi in the city late at night was cut, a $250,000 cut to the City Safe grant program and a $4 million cut to crime prevention grants that ensured a safer environment for women have been made by those opposite.

The Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing cut the $24 million dedicated Female Facilities Program and the Women in Sport Taskforce. If any women were looking to serve on a sporting board, those opposite cut the Premier's Women's Directory too.

More than a year ago, I wrote to the then Speaker asking for breastfeeding facilities and change tables to be provided in this place, and to you, Mr Speaker, I detailed in writing the inappropriate language that I was subjected to in this place six months ago by a minister. I have been called 'disgusting' in this place by those opposite and have not received an apology. Today, Labor women were appallingly referred to as 'the B team'. Just then, Mr Speaker, the Premier refused to take any questions about women's safety, saying that they were not his responsibility. Absolutely shameful!

This week, we rightly saw women across Australia stand up and say enough is enough. Enough is enough, indeed. Women are calling for change across our community for an end to gendered violence and they rightly want those who are not with them, like those opposite, to get out of their way.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order: I take offence at that last statement when it was clearly directed at members of the government to think that we would not be with those women. I would ask the member to withdraw it.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education raises a point of order. The Minister for Education has referred to the remark of the member for Reynell at the conclusion of her grieve directed to those opposite. The offence having been taken by reference to language, not directed to any particular member, I would give the member for Reynell the opportunity—

Mr PICTON: Point of order, sir: there has been a previous precedent in relation to offence against a party or a side of this house where you have made rulings that that cannot be taken as offence against one person, but that seems to be what the minister is trying to do here and you seem to be accepting it.

The SPEAKER: It is in exactly the same terms as I provided the opportunity to the member for Chaffey in the course of question time today. I give the member for Reynell the opportunity to address the point of order and, if the member for Reynell would do so, to withdraw any reference—

Mr PICTON: Which remark was the minister offended by?

The SPEAKER: I will give the minister the opportunity to be precise about it. I think I understand the reference.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: While it is not usually the custom for the aggrieved party to repeat, nevertheless the remark suggested that members of the government were standing in the way of those women who are seeking justice. I do not believe that I fulfil that characterisation. I do not believe any member of the government does, and I have identified I have offence. Sir, I understand your ruling is not requiring withdrawal but giving the opportunity for it, as the member for Chaffey did. I am happy with that outcome if the member wants to.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is appropriately made in respect of standing order 126. It is not addressed to remarks that are directed towards any individual member. In the circumstances, I give the member for Reynell the opportunity to take the call should she wish. I do not require the member for Reynell to withdraw those words. Does the member for Reynell seek the call?

Ms Hildyard: No.

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